[QUOTE]Members of Congress have told top Obama administration officials, as well as the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, that Egypt's investigation of and raids on U.S. democracy support groups working in that country could mean the end of U.S. aid to Egypt.
In a Feb. 2 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, 41 members of Congress urged the administration to withhold further aid to Egypt until the country's leadership lets the offices of those organizations reopen and returns seized property.
The United States sends more than $1.3 billion each year in military aid to Egypt, according to the U.S. State Department. And, since 1975, the U.S. Agency for International Development has provided more than $28 billion in economic and development assistance to Egypt.
Egypt's military leadership has launched an investigation into the U.S.-based International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute and Freedom House, seizing the groups' property and preventing some of their staff members from leaving the country.
"The absence of a quick and satisfactory resolution to this issue will make it increasingly difficult for congressional supporters of a strong U.S.-Egypt bilateral relationship to defend current levels of assistance to Egypt, especially in this climate of budget cuts in Washington," the letter warns.
The lawmakers note that FY 2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act requires that, to receive U.S. aid, the Egyptian government must "support the transition to civilian government, including holding free and fair elections; implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association and religion; and due process of law."
"The U.S. should withhold certification until these fundamental human rights are protected, which regrettably seems impossible under the present circumstances," the letter states.
State Department officials met Thursday and Friday in Washington with a delegation of senior members of the Egyptian military on a previously scheduled visit and discussed the issue of the American democracy-support groups.
At the State Department briefing Friday, Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner declined to call the discussion a "warning," but added: "It's consistent with what we've been saying, which is that we are seeking every avenue... from the president on down to our regular consultations, to press the points that we want to see the travel restrictions lifted and we want to see the NGO (nongovernmental organizations) issue more broadly addressed."
The incident has strained what has long been a strong relationship between the U.S. and Egyptian militaries. A U.S. defense official told CNN there has been some frustration among U.S. officials that the military-to-military relationship has not been able to affect these issues more.
The U.S. and Egyptian military relationship has been strong not only because of the billions of dollars in aid but because many Egyptian officers have trained in the United States.
"We've let the Egyptians know where we stand," the official said.
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta told reporters on Tuesday that he had recently spoken by telephone with Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi and "conveyed to him the concerns that we have with regards to the treatment of these individuals and the whole NGO issue."
Panetta continued, "He indicated his concern, that he'll do everything he can to try to help on this issue. He obviously has to deal now with the parliament. He has to deal with what is an independent judiciary ... I said, welcome to democracy, because I have the same responsibility to deal with the Congress, and they're concerned about this issue."
He expressed hope that the situation could be resolved soon.
An official said the United States needs to continue giving military aid to the Egyptians because, no matter what kind of government emerges from the election, Egypt's military will still be a pillar of the country and the entire region. The United States needs to maintain its relationship with that military, the official said.[/QUOTE]
Source: [url]http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/03/egypt-warned-u-s-aid-at-risk/?hpt=hp_t3[/url]
With all our internal problems, the US still gives money away to others :v:
I honestly think we should just cut the aid to other countries for now until we get our own shit fixed.
[QUOTE=Jetblack357;34550749]I honestly think we should just cut the aid to other countries for now until we get our own shit fixed.[/QUOTE]
We give too much money to middle-eastern countries as it is. And some don't even help us.
For example: PAKISTAN
Cut it totally, for all countries.
Finally.
Huh, I expected more opposition to this for some reason.
[QUOTE=Jetblack357;34550749]I honestly think we should just cut the aid to other countries for now until we get our own shit fixed.[/QUOTE]
You know that you guys only use like 1% of your budget on foreign contributions, right?
[QUOTE=HiddenMyst;34551712]You know that you guys only use like 1% of your budget on foreign contributions, right?[/QUOTE]
1 % of the American budget is still A LOT OF MONEY.
yeah, that money can go to social programs, or our schools, or buying a few f-35's
And in other news, America is still fucking up and attempting to take everyone with them.
[QUOTE=HiddenMyst;34551712]You know that you guys only use like 1% of your budget on foreign contributions, right?[/QUOTE]
Meanwhile NASA only gets 0.5% of the budget.
1% of the budget is massive, considering the amount of money this country deals with. That money could be best spent elsewhere.
[QUOTE=Reviized;34552100]1% of the budget is massive, considering the amount of money this country deals with.[B] That money could be best spent elsewhere.[/B][/QUOTE]
... Like on foreign government contributions? Believe it or not, but these kinds of expenses [I]are[/I] useful.
[QUOTE=Nikota;34551763]1 % of the American budget is still A LOT OF MONEY.[/QUOTE]
I'm not saying it isn't a lot of money, but it's not like it isn't a necessary thing.
[QUOTE=Techno-Man;34550833]Cut it totally, for all countries.[/QUOTE]
So it's OK if Kenya, [B]Haiti[/B], Kazakhstan, Georgia, Indonesia, Russia (Yes, Russia) lose out the (Tiny) amount of contributions that help maintain their populations just because of Pakistan and Egypt? Cut Pakistan and Egypt's funds completely (Along with Israel), and continue to support countries that deserve to be propped up. Some poor families depend on world aid contributions, and 1% of that budget returned into the US economy is like Barack Obama saying 'Oh, I won't take any wages'. It's nice for the taxpayer, but in reality it does nothing.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;34552716]So it's OK if Kenya, [B]Haiti[/B], Kazakhstan, Georgia, Indonesia, Russia (Yes, Russia) lose out the (Tiny) amount of contributions that help maintain their populations just because of Pakistan and Egypt? Cut Pakistan and Egypt's funds completely (Along with Israel), and continue to support countries that deserve to be propped up. Some poor families depend on world aid contributions, and 1% of that budget returned into the US economy is like Barack Obama saying 'Oh, I won't take any wages'. It's nice for the taxpayer, but in reality it does nothing.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, lets leave the thousands staving in the US to save the hundreds starving in Haiti. Anyone starving is bad, but come on, fix your own country before you can fix another.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;34552761]Yeah, lets leave the thousands staving in the US to save the hundreds starving in Haiti. Anyone starving is bad, but come on, fix your own country before you can fix another.[/QUOTE]
Or hey, the US could not spend so much money on buying Israel weaponry. But hey, priorities, right?
Or they could spend proper money on the US by giving everyone proper health insurance, and not leaving 40 million Americans struggling not to get a cold.
If you're going to nit-pick about 'a few hundred' starving abroad, then you need to focus on the internal problems of the US, and why there ARE starving people. $50 billion is like piss water.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;34552803]Or hey, the US could not spend so much money on buying Israel weaponry. But hey, priorities, right?
Or they could spend proper money on the US by giving everyone proper health insurance, and not leaving 40 million Americans struggling not to get a cold.
If you're going to nit-pick about 'a few hundred' starving abroad, then you need to focus on the internal problems of the US, and why there ARE starving people. $50 billion is like piss water.[/QUOTE]
I'm pretty sure I didn't mention all those other problems [I]because this thread was specifically about foreign aid.[/I]
[QUOTE=Dr.C;34551995]yeah, that money can go to social programs, or our schools, or buying a few f-35's[/QUOTE]
Or paying down our massive, crippling debt.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;34552968]I'm pretty sure I didn't mention all those other problems [I]because this thread was specifically about foreign aid.[/I][/QUOTE]
Taking other problems out of the context when saying foreign aid can fix this/can't fix that when arguing about the US economy is dumb. That's like saying homelessness can be fixed by throwing money at a hobo.
[editline]5th February 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Ridge;34553028]Or paying down our massive, crippling debt.[/QUOTE]
$15.087 trillion
-$50 billion
Wow. Look at the crippling hole that would make.
[QUOTE=HiddenMyst;34551712]You know that you guys only use like 1% of your budget on foreign contributions, right?[/QUOTE]
That is a fucking shitload of money, you know that right?
[editline]5th February 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;34553052]Taking other problems out of the context when saying foreign aid can fix this/can't fix that when arguing about the US economy is dumb. That's like saying homelessness can be fixed by throwing money at a hobo.
[editline]5th February 2012[/editline]
$15.087 trillion
-$50 billion
Wow. Look at the crippling hole that would make.[/QUOTE]
It can take a toll on it over time. You're being stupid and thinking only about the present. If it were to be a one time payment of 50 billion then yeah, it would do jack shit.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.